BBQ Pecan & Parm Meatballs (Vegetarian)

Meatless in May has me all kinds of creative in the kitchen. So far all the recipes I’ve tried have been a hit. And tonight’s didn’t fail me. I used the meatball recipe from Blue Bird & Blackberries as my base and made a few changes of my own.

Honestly, I wasn’t so sure about this recipe, but I needed to do something with the four bags of pecans my husband bought. He’s been doing the grocery shopping since my pregnancy and I am beyond grateful. But he’s not the best at doing inventory before heading to the store. So we currently have four bags pf pecan halves in our pantry–two large and two small.

This is definitely a recipe you should try even if you’re not going meatless. The Parmesan really gives it spectacular flavor.

What you need:

• 3/4 cups couscous
• 1 cup raw pecans
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp ground sage
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp seasoning salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• 3 tbsp butter (or olive oil)
• 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
• couple handfuls of spinach (totally optional…I was trying to get in some extra veggies)

What you do:

• Blend the couscous, pecans and seasonings until a course mill is formed
• Pour the mixture into a large bowl and mix in the eggs until well blended
• Add the Parmesan cheese and mix well
• Heat your butter or oil on medium heat in a sauce pan
• Mold the mixture into balls (The mixture will be crumby but will mold together when you make the balls. I got 22 meatballs.)
• Cook the balls in the butter or oil for about 3 minutes on each side or until they brown and are firm
• Add your spinach and BBQ sauce and cook for a couple more minutes
• Plate & Enjoy!